Drabbles
by TessaStarDean
Summary: NOW COMPLETE. This is a series of drabbles about Jack and Chloe. Some are the standard 100 words, others are longer. There is no timeline or order. They are just oneshots.
1. Comfort

She was afraid. The sound of ricocheting bullets still reverberated in her ears, bouncing inside her head and slowly driving her insane. As Jack took a sweep of the perimeter, Chloe walked herself slowly over to the bed, her whole body shaking. The hotel room was swathed in darkness, but she had no problem finding her way through it, lowering herself down onto the soft mattress.

When Jack came in ten minutes later, he found her curled in the fetal position, still shaking. Locking the door behind him, he walked quickly over to the bed, taking off his shoes and crawling in next to her. He gently brought the covers over her before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against his chest. He could feel the rapidity of her heartbeat; taking deep breaths, he used his body to calm her. Slowly her breathing came under control and fell into sync with his.

Eventually she turned in his arms, bringing her face close to his. They laid there like that for a while, just staring at each other.

"I need you," Chloe finally whispered.

"I'm right here," he replied.

She leaned in and brushed her lips softly against his. His lips moved against hers gently, soaking in the feel of her.

"You'll be here when I wake up?" she asked when she pulled away.

"Always," Jack answered.


	2. Kiss

Chloe was surprised to find that she had just as many customers at the kissing booth as Nadia did. When the younger woman had first asked her, Chloe had done everything she could think of to get out of it. But it _was_ for a good cause, and Nadia was a very persistent nagger. And although she hated to admit it to herself, she was really enjoying herself.

She turned to watch Nadia for a moment, doing a double-take when she saw her tongue wrestling with Milo. Smirking at them, she loudly cleared her throat, forcing them to finally pull apart.

"You're not going to raise much money if you keep making out with your boyfriend, Nadia."

"You guys are closing in ten minutes," Milo argued.

At Chloe's continued raised eyebrow, Nadia giggled. "Don't worry, Chloe. Milo's paying for all ten minutes." She pointed to the cash on the counter that Milo had set down.

Chloe rolled her eyes and smiled at them as they resumed their kissing. Thinking that she would duck out a little early, she was stopped by an all too familiar voice.

"I'd like to book your last ten minutes."

She turned her head to find herself staring at Jack Bauer. He laid the money down on the counter giving her a grin that sent shivers down her spine. Swallowing nervously, she shot him back with a seductive smile.

"You sure you can handle that?"

That made him outright laugh. "Well," he said, his voice low as his face neared hers. "I'd sure as hell like to try."

He kissed her softly at first, his mouth moving slowly over hers. Reaching over the counter he took her face in his hands, tilting his head and nudging her lips open with the tip of his tongue. As her senses went into overload, Chloe moaned softly into his mouth, letting his tongue tangle with hers while his hands locked in her hair. She went to quicken their pace, but Jack tightened his grip on her and forced her to slow down again as he took his time exploring her mouth. The world around her forgotten, Chloe gripped the front of his shirt, her brain frantically trying to keep her body from jumping over the counter and into his arms.

When he finally pulled back, both were breathing heavily. Jack leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes still closed and his hands still in her hair.

"I'd like to take you home," he whispered, finally looking at her, a small nervous smile on his face.

Chloe nodded before turning her head. "Nadia-" she cut off as she saw that both Nadia and Milo were staring at her and Jack with gaping mouths. Scowling, she rolled her eyes at them. "Oh, grow up, you two. Nadia, can you close up here?"

The other woman nodded slowly. "Sure…you two…have fun."

"Oh we will," Chloe smirked as she hopped up on the counter and swung her legs over, Jack helping her down. With a little wave, she let herself be led away by Jack.


	3. Soft

Chloe couldn't have explained the plot of the movie if her life depended on it. From the moment Jack sat down next to her, she had been distracted by his proximity. They sat with a small space between them, both unsure of how close was 'too close' on a first date.

Their plans had been put on hold when a new crisis arose, causing them to miss their dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant downtown. They were finally able to leave CTU a little after eleven, both nearly staggering with exhaustion, but neither wanting to accept that their night had been ruined. So they had driven to Chloe's place, ordering takeout on the way and picking up a movie from Blockbuster.

Now the food cartons were empty and discarded, and a few empty beer bottles dotted the coffee table in front of them. Chloe sat straight and stiff as a board, her hands twisting nervously in her lap, while Jack tried to lean back and look relaxed despite the eruption of butterflies in his stomach. He kept reminding himself that this was Chloe – his best friend, a woman he had known for years – there was no reason to be nervous. But he found himself continually wondering what he was expected to do and if he should try to kiss her and if sex was allowed on a first date when you'd known the person for so long.

Ever so slowly he reached his right hand over, hesitating slightly just before untangling her hands and entwining his fingers with hers. He heard a small gasp, but was reassured by the slight squeeze that she gave his hand. Relaxing a little bit more, Jack allowed himself a small smile at how right this felt.

His hand was soft – that was what surprised Chloe the most. She had always expected them to be rough and calloused from everything he did, from everything he had gone through. But instead they were smooth and soft, and…comfortable. Her hand rested in his gently, as though it had belonged there all along. Her body slowly relaxed as her nervousness slid out of her. Keeping her eyes locked on the TV, she gently slid her hand from his, crossing the distance between them, and moving his arm so that she could lean against his chest. Jack jumped slightly before reaching around her waist and tugging her close. As her head came to rest against him, he moved his left hand onto her knee, palm up. Chloe looked up at him and smiled as she placed her right hand in his, their fingers once again entwining.


	4. Pain

It hurt. She stared at her screen blankly, her thoughts gnawing on Bill's words. He was gone. Again. And it didn't look like he'd be back for a long time, if ever. She had managed to keep a stoic face when he told her, trying to avoid his sympathetic gaze and the feel of his reassuring hand on her arm. She had nodded, giving him the smallest of smiles before turning back to her computer, silently wishing he would leave her alone. Watching her for a moment, Bill had sighed, walking away and giving her the space that he knew she needed.

She wasn't surprised that he had left. One way or the other, he was always gone after days like these. Too much had happened…too much had been taken from him. She understood why he couldn't stay.

But still…she was hurt. He hadn't even said goodbye. Aside from their meeting after he had saved Morris, they had barely said anything to each other. And now he was gone again, without a single word to her.

Chloe suddenly found it difficult to breathe as the realization came crashing down on her. He didn't actually care about her. She was his colleague, someone he could go to get things done when he needed to stay under the radar. But they weren't friends – she suddenly realized that they never had been. She was just something he used when he had nowhere else to turn.

She closed her eyes against the burning tears that were threatening to spill out. She felt like such an idiot. Of course she and Jack weren't friends…she had been a fool to ever think otherwise. If he had cared at all, he would have said something before leaving. If he cared, he would at least think twice about leaving her over and over again.

The pain was overwhelming and Chloe clenched her fists in an effort to keep from sobbing. Opening her eyes, she looked across the floor, to Morris sitting at his station. There was nothing else for her to hold onto…no one else who loved her. Giving him a small smile when he looked up at her, she stood on slightly shaky legs and walked over to him.


	5. Potatoes

Jack and Chloe stood side-by-side in front of the kitchen counter as they made dinner. She made the salad as he focused on peeling and washing the potatoes before placing them in the large pot to his right. Glancing over, he watched her from the corner of his eye. She hummed a simple tune quietly and Jack smiled before returning his attention to the task at hand.

"Thank you," he whispered. He didn't want to ruin the moment, but he knew that the words needed to be said.

She stopped humming and frowned up at him in confusion. "For what?"

Jack smiled as he continued making dinner. "For this. For giving me…a chance to be normal. Making dinner and peeling potatoes and doing work around the house…it feels good. Thank you."

Chloe opened her mouth to make a sarcastic reply, but then thought better of it. "You're welcome," she said, giving him a crooked smile.

As she finished the salad, Jack continued to watch her, the potatoes momentarily forgotten. Hesitating slightly, he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Afraid of her reaction, he started working on dinner again.

Caught off-guard by his sudden affection, Chloe found herself unable to focus at all. Fidgeting, she kept stealing glances at him, hoping that he wouldn't notice.

Jack silently fought with himself. She hadn't reacted badly, and he desperately wanted to know if she would let him take it a step further. On the other hand, he thought it might be best to quit while he was ahead. Glancing over at her, he caught her looking at him before she quickly averted his eyes. He kept his gaze locked on her until she was forced to look at him again.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Jack leaned in and pressed his lips against hers firmly. He let the kiss linger, savoring the feel of her mouth on his.

When he pulled back, he found Chloe staring at him, a strange expression on her face. She turned once again to the counter, trying to hide the huge grin on her face and failing.

"Get back to your potatoes, Bauer," she said, bumping his hip lightly with hers to let him know that they would continue _that_ conversation after dinner.


	6. Rain

She ran straight into the storm, Nadia's words echoing in her head. He was leaving. As soon as Medical cleared him, he was disappearing again. At first her heart had broken again, the pain causing her knees to almost buckle there in front of everyone. But as she stared at her computer screen, her pain slowly turned to anger as she realized that once again he was going to desert her, to leave her alone without a real friend. Hands shaking, she stood up and gathered her things, running out of the building and towards her car.

The rain drenched her immediately, but she ran on, no longer caring. Her chest heaved as her high heels caused her to stumble, but she kept her balance and ran on. The downpour kept her from hearing the pounding footsteps behind her, and she was caught off-guard when she heard her name being called.

"Chloe!" She ran on, ignoring the familiar voice. "Chloe, please!" he shouted, desperately trying to get her attention.

She was at her door when his arms enveloped her waist, forcefully turning her around. As soon as she was facing him, her hand shot out, slapping him hard across the face. He stared at her in amazement for a moment before slamming her back against the car and crashing his lips down onto hers. She struggled for a moment, but her body went limp when his tongue invaded her mouth, overwhelming all her senses. Moaning, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed her body closer as he pushed her harder against the car.

Suddenly remembering why she had been so angry, Chloe fought to pull away, reluctantly dragging her lips away from his. She looked up at him with accusatory eyes.

"You're leaving me again."

He took her face in his hands and gave her a pleading look. "Not you, Chloe. I wasn't leaving you."

"Every time you leave here, you leave me."

"Not this time, Chloe. I was coming by your station to ask you to come with me. Nadia told me what happened when she told you I was leaving. I couldn't let you go without making sure you knew…I don't want to leave without you anymore. I want you to leave _with_ me."

Blinking back tears, she pulled his lips back to hers and kissed him desperately, afraid that he would take it back, that it would all disappear. He gathered her up in his arms and tangled his hands in her wet hair.

"Leave with me," he whispered when they pulled back again.

"Where?" she asked, her head still clouded by the effects of his kiss.

"Anywhere."

"When?"

"Now."

"Okay," she breathed, kissing him again.


	7. Chocolate

He had been hoping the break room would be empty. But as he pushed open the door, he was immediately greeted by the sight of Chloe O'Brian sitting on the couch and watching TV while she munched on Wheat Thins. Her eyes casually flicked to the door to see who had come in, but she froze in surprise when she saw Jack standing there. Swallowing what was in her mouth, she gave him a nervous smile.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey."

Awkward silence descended as they ran out of things to say to each other. Chloe tried to go back to her show, but she couldn't relax with him just standing there. Finally, she turned to look at him again.

"What are you doing here so late? It's almost one in the morning."

"I could ask the same thing of you," he replied, giving her a small smile.

She gave him a pointed look, telling him that she expected an answer. Eventually he shrugged, moving to the fridge.

"Had some paperwork to do. Not ready to go home yet. You?"

"I just finished my work. Wanted to unwind a little before leaving." She paused, biting her lip. "I'm glad you're back," she said quietly, staring at the television screen.

Jack looked at her thoughtfully as he closed the refrigerator door. Walking over to her, he a took a seat next to her on the couch.

"So what are we watching?" he asked casually.

"American Gladiators," she answered, refusing to look at him. Jack raised his eyebrows. "It's the only thing on," she said defensively.

They sat quietly then, watching as men with grotesque muscles beat the crap out of scrawny business accountants. Chloe tried to focus on the show and not on her racing heartbeat or sweaty palms. She waited for Jack to get up and leave, but he only seemed to make himself more comfortable, as though he were settling in for a while.

"I'm the one who turned you in," she finally blurted, closing her eyes and silently cursing herself for her lack of tact.

"I know," Jack said, looking over at her with a smile.

She was thrown off by his reaction. "You're not mad?"

He shook his head. "I was a heroin addict, Chloe. I needed to be caught. It made me get clean."

She frowned, seeming to process his answer to find the truth in it. Eventually she nodded, reaching back into her box of Wheat Thins. "Then I'm glad I caught you." She saw his smirk out of the corner of her eye and turned to look at him again. It was then that she noticed what he was eating.

"Those are your chocolate bars in the fridge?" she asked, frowning at him again.

He nodded. "It's the only thing that helps."

"That helps what?"

He looked at her seriously. "My cravings. Every time I want a hit, I just eat some chocolate. Calms me down again."

Chloe chuckled and turned back to the TV. "Jack Bauer has chocolate cravings."

He scowled at her, his eyes dancing with amusement. "I have heroin cravings. The chocolate is just a substitute."

"Chocolate cravings too woman-like for you to admit to?"

Jack nodded. "Heroin is much more manly," he said in mock seriousness.

They continued to watch the show in companionable silence. Jack rested his feet on the coffee table in front of them and leaned his head back. Soon after, he was fast asleep, chocolate bar still clutched in his hand. Chloe smiled at him before returning her focus to the TV, but then nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his head resting on her shoulder. She turned again to look at him and saw that he was still sleeping, but with some of the tension lines gone from his face. Shifting a little closer so that he would be more comfortable, Chloe dropped a light kiss to his temple before once again turning her attention to the television.


	8. Happiness

She wasn't happy. As she stood in the middle of the bustling floor, she looked around at her coworkers. Nadia was sitting at her station, visibly fighting back tears. Bill was sitting next to her, a gentle hand on her shoulder as he tried to comfort her about both Milo and Doyle. Milo's station was empty, and Chloe found herself quickly averting her eyes as she felt her own tears threatening to overwhelm her.

And then her eyes settled on Morris. He was focused on the screen in front of him, his eyes narrowing as he studied something. Since breaking up with her a couple hours earlier, he had simply returned to their normal routine of bickering and snarking. But she noticed that his eyes didn't quite meet hers when they spoke.

If she were honest with herself, Chloe could admit that she hadn't been happy for a long time. Lately there had been an ache building in her chest, spreading until it encompassed her heart and slowly squeezed the air out of her lungs. She had been surprised when some of the pain eased after Morris left her, her breathing coming just a little bit easier.

Sighing, she turned to go back to her station. Eyes making one more sweep around the room, she saw him, standing in the doorway. She felt a small smile grace her lips as their eyes locked, and she saw that it was mirrored on his face. Without walking any further into the room, he held something up. Chloe squinted in an attempt to see what was in his hand, frowning when she saw that it was a plane ticket. Her frown deepened as Jack winked at her, a smirk dancing across his lips. Without taking his eyes from hers, he shifted his fingers so that another ticket came out from behind the first one.

Her breath hitched in her throat and Chloe felt as though the rest of the room had suddenly fallen away. She found herself staring at him, trying to read him to find out exactly what his intent was. Finally she broke eye contact and moved toward her station, keeping her head down as she gathered her things and shut down her computer. With one last look around the room, she put her purse over her shoulder and walked over to him.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come," he murmured.

"I was afraid you wouldn't ask."

Smiling at her shyly, Jack reached out and took her hand in his, leading her gently away from the noise behind them. Chloe returned his smile, but then stopped suddenly as she realized something. Jack stopped too, looking back at her with a look of fear.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice tight.

She took a deep breath as she realized that the ache was gone. Her chest no longer felt constricted and her breathing came easily. Looking up at Jack and seeing the worry in his eyes, she squeezed his hand and leaned into his side.

"I'm happy," she whispered. He looked at her in confusion and she shrugged. "It's been a long time."

He nodded in understanding and tugged gently until she continued to follow him out of the building.


	9. Telephone

By the time Chloe got back to her desk, she could barely see through the tears pooling in her eyes. She had gone to Morris because he was the only thing she had left, but he had made it clear that he didn't want to be with her anymore – and then he too had walked away. Now her hands were shaking violently as she suddenly found herself lost. She had no one left. Milo was dead, Jack was gone, Morris had moved on, Buchanan had been fire…Chloe struggled to stay standing as reality rushed her in a torrent.

Then her eyes fell on her desk and she immediately stopped. In front of her computer was a yellow sticky note with a phone number scrawled on it. Her breath hitched as she realized that she recognized that scrawl. She reached out a trembling hand to pick the note up, her pulse spiking and the rush of blood filling her ears. Looking around the room wildly, she saw that there was no one watching her and no sign of the person who had left her the number. With one last breath, she grabbed her purse and headed out of the building, the number clutched tightly in her hand.

She was nearly home by the time she worked up the courage to dial the number. Her hand continued to shake as she held the phone to her ear. The ringing bored through her, fraying her already-thin nerves. He answered on the second ring.

"I was afraid you weren't going to call," he said softly.

"I thought you were gone."

"Did you really think I'd leave without saying goodbye?"

"Yes," she whispered, her voice breaking.

His silence on the other end was pained. "Where are you?" he asked finally.

"Pulling into my driveway."

"Good."

She heard the phone click off as he cut their connection, just as she put her car into park. She stared at it in confusion, her mind unable to comprehend what exactly was going on. Throwing the phone down in disgust, she grabbed her purse and got out of the car, searching for her keys as she walked towards her front porch.

She was on the steps when her front door opened, bathing her in warm light. Looking up, she nearly stumbled at the sight of Jack leaning against her doorframe, his hands in his pockets. He stared at her, his gaze moving up and down her body before settling on her eyes, a strange expression dancing across his face.

It was too much for Chloe. Dropping her purse to the ground, her sobs overtook her. Her cries were deep as she covered her face with her hands, blocking out his image. At the sight of her crying, Jack's relaxed demeanor fell and he was immediately by her side, wrapping her in his arms and bringing them both down to sit on the top step. He rocked her gently, one hand running through her hair as he whispered soothing words to her. Eventually her tears subsided and she looked up at him, confusion plain on her face.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came for you."

"Me?"

He smiled at her gently. "I couldn't walk away without you. I'm tired of being without you."

Instead of the smile he was expecting in return, Jack was met with angry eyes. She pulled back from him slightly, her lips twisted in bitterness.

"You bastard," she whispered. "You left without a word. You made me think I meant _nothing_ to you. That I never even crossed your mind. You made think I was alone. That I had no one left."

He looked at her in shock, his hands coming up to cradle her face. "Oh, Chloe. That's not what I meant to do. After I got off the helicopter, I didn't know where I was going or what I was doing. I just started walking – I wanted to get as far away from CTU as I could."

"Then how did you end up here?"

Jack shrugged. "It didn't feel right without you."

"You've never missed me before," she protested.

"Chloe, I've _always_ missed you."

Leaning in, he brushed his lips against hers softly. She automatically responded, sighing and bringing her hands up to his face. Seconds later though, she was pulling away, her eyes filled with hurt.

"You don't get to do this, Jack. You don't get to kiss me and then leave me again."

"I don't want to leave you, Chloe. I want to leave _with_ you."

He could see the battle going on in her head. "Promise me," she whispered.

Smiling, he nudged her nose with his. "I promise."

The words were barely out of his mouth as she catapulted herself at him, her lips hungrily seeking his. Matching her pace easily, Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and laid back with her on top of him. She moaned as his tongue invaded her mouth, their bodies moving together with harried desperation.

Then she was pulling back again, and fear leapt into Jack's throat. But she didn't get off of him – she just stared at him.

"You hurt me," she finally said.

His lip trembled at the pain in her eyes. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Not just tonight."

He didn't want to ask, but he had to know. "How long?"

"Since right before you left for Washington."

His eyes closed at the pain that overcame him. His throat didn't want to work, but he knew he had to tell her. "Chloe," he said, opening his eyes again. "By the time I realized how I felt about you, I thought you'd be better off without me."

"When?"

"Chloe-"

"When?"

"I knew it when I came to get you that day with the helicopter. When you ran into my arms. I knew."

"But…you never said anything."

"I didn't have a chance."

"Bullshit."

"I was afraid."

"You made me think I wasn't good enough. You made me constantly compare myself to Audrey and always come up short."

A tear slid down his face, falling down the side and onto the wood beneath him. "Are you going to make me leave?"

"No."

"But-"

"I love you, Jack."

"But I hurt you."

She shrugged. "That's what people do when they love each other." Standing up, she reached a hand down to him. "Come on, let's go in."

He picked up her purse and followed her inside, wondering if he could ever make things up to her.


	10. Ears

Chloe cursed as she came to a stop. Corn stalks rustled around her, the wind whispering through them. She shivered slightly, turning around in a circle as she tried to determine in which direction their suspect had run. But everywhere she looked, all she could see was more and more corn. For a brief moment, she contemplated running again, but at the very thought, the stitch in her side flare anew, and she decided that running aimlessly through a cornfield was a very silly thing to do.

Still breathing heavily, Chloe reached for the cell phone she had clipped to the waistband of her jeans. Her heart sank as she realized that it wasn't there. Frantically, she checked all around her, retracing her steps for a little while, but only succeeding in getting herself more lost. She opened her mouth to call out for help, but then shut it promptly – she didn't want the suspect to know her location and the fact that she was alone.

Panic started to rise in her chest as she floundered for what she should do next. She had no idea where she was, and no idea in which direction their car lay. Alone, she did the only thing she could think of. When she had been little, her mother always told her that if she ever got lost, she should just stay where she was. Fighting back tears, Chloe pulled out her gun and sat down.

Jack sighed as realized that their search was futile. The suspects were probably long gone, and there was no way to find them in this maze. Forcing himself to stop, he leaned his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. When his chest didn't hurt as much, he straightened back up and reached for his phone, dialing Chloe's number.

She didn't answer. An ache was slowly growing in his chest, and it had nothing to do with being winded. Moving forward slowly, he hit the redial button again and again, the pain in his chest spreading.

Ten minutes later, he found her phone. His only problem was, it wasn't with Chloe. He knew that it had been clipped to her jeans, and he suddenly couldn't rid himself of the image of her being dragged through the field, dislodging the phone. Shaking his head, he studied the ground around him, looking for any traces of her. He noticed that an ear of corn had been dislodged, and the stalk it had been on was broken. Sending up a small prayer, he moved in that direction.

The sun was setting, and Chloe was shaking. Tears were falling down her cheeks as she struggled to keep her anxiety down. But her body refused to comply as her mind raced through images of what would happen to her out here. She didn't know what kind of animals lived in the Midwest, but she was sure that they wouldn't be too friendly to a lost human in the dark.

A sound up ahead caused her head to jerk up, and her right hand to raise automatically, aiming the gun forward. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as a figure walked out of the corn stalks and moved toward her.

"Chloe?"

"Jack?" She cringed at how her voice broke as she lowered the gun.

He walked to her quickly, helping her up and dragging her against his chest. She managed to keep from sobbing, but she wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him, using his presence to steady her breathing.

"I was so worried," Jack whispered, tightening his hold on her. "I thought maybe one of them had taken you…"

"I'm okay," Chloe assured him, pulling back slightly so that she could look at him.

He studied her face, bringing up one hand to brush away the tears that were still on her cheeks.

"Really?"

She shrugged. "I don't like being lost."

He smiled at her in the growing twilight. "Let's get you out of here then."

"Do you know which way is out?"

Jack pulled something out of his pocket. "I have a compass."

"It's getting dark."

"It glows."

"Are you sure it works?"

He laughed. "Chloe, I promise that I will get you home. And then I'm going to cook you a nice dinner to thank you for coming out in the field with me even though you hate it."

"And then what?"

Nearly choking at her question, Jack searched for an answer. "And then, Chloe…I'm going to have a beer and work up the courage to kiss you."

"You need a beer to do that?" she asked, thankful that the spreading darkness covered the shock on her face at his response.

"Helps loosen the nerves," he said quietly.

"You're nervous about kissing me?"

"A little…maybe a little more than a little." He took a deep breath. "Chloe-"

She cut him off by pressing her lips against his, her hands on either side of his face. Jack's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly recovered and leaned into her. All too soon, she had pulled back again.

"You don't have to be nervous about that," she muttered.

Jack smiled. "Good."

Reaching over, he took her hand in his, the compass held out in front of him. "You ready to get out of here?"

"You have no idea."


	11. Name

His legs refused to hold him up any longer, and Jack sank into the nearest chair. Nurses and doctors moved around him, all oblivious to the fact that his entire world had just shattered at his feet. He was vaguely aware of a woman standing nearby, watching him, but he couldn't draw in enough breath to ask her what she wanted it. His eyes stayed glued to the floor, his hands shaking and his head pounding. Memories danced through his mind, teasingly, and he struggled to grasp them. But the woman was speaking now, and her voice pushed the memories farther away.

"Mr. Bauer?"

He lifted his eyes to her, trying to focus, and she recoiled slightly from the pain she saw there.

"My name is Melinda Busch. I'm with Child Protective Services."

Jack looked at her in confusion, vaguely wondering if the woman was lost. He struggled for some kind of appropriate response, but he couldn't remember what you were supposed to say when someone was lost.

"Sir, do you remember what the doctor told you? About Mr. and Mrs. O'Brian?"

The mention of Chloe's name sent pain rippling through his chest. He tried to breathe, but he couldn't seem to pull in enough oxygen. "Dead," he croaked.

Her eyes softened as she saw just how badly he was affected by all of this. "Yes. But do you remember what else? Do you remember him talking about the baby?"

The words echoed around in his head, and slowly he did remember the doctor saying…something. But it was lost, and he was too tired to dig around for it. Melinda saw this and repeated the doctor's words for him.

"Mrs. O'Brian was pregnant…the baby survived the crash and the doctor's got her out of the womb soon enough that there was no brain damage."

"The baby…the baby's alive?" He looked around wildly. "Who…who's going to take care of it?"

She smiled at him gently. "That's why I'm talking to you, Mr. Bauer. Mr. and Mrs. O'Brian wrote in their wills specifically that if anything happened to them, they wanted you to take custody of their child."

Jack's eyes widened as the implications of her words began to sink in. "But…but…Morris hated me. He never would have wanted…"

"Sir, I already had the department's lawyer's look over the document. Everything is legitimate. There is no one else to take this baby. Mr. O'Brian's brother has already said he'll stand by the wills."

He was no longer having trouble breathing, but he couldn't pin a single thought in his head down long enough to actually look at it. He had swung from abject grief to…wherever he was now…so quickly, that the rest of him was still trying to catch up.

"Sir?"

His head snapped up as another woman came up to them. She was holding a bundle of blankets in her arms.

"Sir? Would you like to hold her?"

He nodded dumbly, automatically stretching out his arms to take the baby. He stared down at her perfect face as she slept, blissfully unaware of everything that had been taken from her that day.

"We need a name for the birth certificate, sir."

He looked at the nurse for a moment, not comprehending. "They…Chloe hadn't picked out a name yet?"

"Not that we know of."

His eyes once again traveled to the little girl in his arms. "Elizabeth," he rasped.

"Excuse me sir?"

"Elizabeth Jean…Jean was her mother's name. And Elizabeth…Elizabeth was Chloe's middle name," he choked out.

"O'Brian or Bauer?"

His head snapped up. "O'Brian," he said fiercely.

The nurse nodded and walked away, leaving Jack with Elizabeth and Melinda. The older woman watched him as he stared at his new ward.

"There will be papers to sign," she said gently. "But they can wait. We'll call you in a couple days."

Jack nodded and she moved away. When they were by themselves, he slowly sank back into the chair.

"Elizabeth," he whispered.


	12. Sensual

"Love…"

"Don't call me that," Chloe snapped. "I just caught you making out with another woman. You don't ever get to call me that again."

"Darling, let me explain…"

Chloe scoffed in derision. "You actually think you can _explain_ this?"

"Darling, when people cheat, it's usually because there's something lacking in their relationship-"

"You're blaming this on me?" she screeched.

"Chloe, you lack a certain…sensuality."

Her throat closed up and she suddenly found herself devoid of words. Or possibly so flooded with words that she just couldn't pick any. She could feel her skin growing hot as tears pricked her eyes, but she couldn't make herself walk away – she couldn't give him the satisfaction of breaking down.

"You know, Morris," a deep voice said from somewhere behind Chloe. "I've always found that a person's passion is reflective of their partner. So if Chloe is… _lacking_…in anything, maybe it's because she's just not hot for you."

Chloe had never seen Morris splutter before, and she found it mildly satisfying. As she opened her mouth to say something about it, she was stopped by Jack's hand slipping into hers and leading her away from her ex-husband. She wanted to thank him for defending her, but her embarrassment at the situation stuck in her throat and she finally decided to just keep her head down and her mouth shut. .

Lifting her head, she frowned, realizing that they had moved deeper into CTU, into corridors that were hardly used by anyone but the night shift. She moved her eyes to Jack, opening her mouth to ask him where he was taking her. That was when he moved suddenly, taking a hold of her waist and pushing her back against the wall hard, bringing his lips crashing down to hers. He pushed his body flush against hers, dragging her hips to his and holding them there tightly. His tongue was insistent, running along her bottom lip until she finally opened up to him, moaning into his throat as his tongue danced with hers. One of her hands traveled up to tangle in his hair, while the other settled on his waist, inching his shirt up just enough to run her thumb along the bare skin.

Her head swimming from a lack of oxygen, Chloe pulled back reluctantly, staring up at him in shock. Jack just smiled at her and brushed the hair from her eyes.

"Judging from that reaction, I'm guessing you're pretty hot for me, O'Brian."

Chloe smirked at him, casually letting her hand move from his hip to dance across his abdomen, his body shivering as her fingers brushed the skin under his waistband.

"Why don't you take me home and find out, Bauer?"

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled as his lips moved down her neck.


	13. Death

Death was freeing, Chloe decided. The red and orange leaves rustled around her as a light breeze whispered through the trees. A man was talking somewhere to her right, but his words had become indistinguishable from the other sounds, and Chloe found that she no longer cared what he was saying. She was barely even aware of the people around her anymore, their presence fading into the background.

The sun wasn't very strong, but she was hot. But even if the circumstances had permitted it, Chloe knew that she could not make her body move, to break away from what was going on around her. There was some pain – her chest felt constricted and she was having trouble breathing. She focused on her heartbeat, trying to keep it strong, trying to keep herself from panicking. There was nothing she could do now – it was no longer in her control. Maybe it never had been.

And then they were leaving. The people around her began to move away, holding quiet conversations as they gave her a wide berth. She made them uncomfortable, and it was easier to just ignore her. She noticed that one person stayed by her side though, completely unwilling to leave her alone, to abandon her like everyone else. Even without looking, she knew the pained expression that lay heavily on his face as he watched her, a questioning look in his eyes. She could feel the worry and anxiety rolling off of him in waves, and it comforted her to know that he was there, that he felt for her, that he cared enough to take on whatever pain she was feeling right then.

She reached over and slid her hand into his, gripping it tightly as she stood up, pulling him with her. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"You ready?" he asked.

She nodded. "Let's go."

Without another glance, she and Jack walked away from her father's grave.


	14. Sex

Chloe tried to convince herself that it was just sex. They never went out on dates. No one else knew that they were sleeping together. But after work some days she would go to his place and he'd cook her dinner. As soon as the dishes were done (and sometimes as they were being washed), Jack would move behind her and start kissing her neck. They didn't always make it to the bedroom. The kitchen floor, the couch and even the stairs worked just fine.

But it was becoming harder and harder to ignore the way her stomach fluttered whenever he touched her. Just a glance from him would have her biting her lip in an attempt to quash her smile. It was getting more difficult to go back to her apartment, and she found herself showing up at his place almost every night.

Instead of going home one night, Jack stopped at her station, watching her with an intense gaze.

"What?"

"Are you almost done?"

"Yeah. Why?"

He shrugged. "I thought we could go get dinner."

Her eyes widened and he though he saw a twinge of fear.

"Dinner?"

"Yeah."  
"You always cook."

"Might be nice to go out."

"Like a date?"

"Maybe."

She bit her bottom lip.

"I thought this was just sex."

He tried to keep his face impassive.

"Do you want it to be?"

She could hear the fear in his voice.

"No."

He smiled. "So you'll have dinner with me?"

Chloe stood up and gave him a quick kiss.

"Yes." 


	15. Touch

He sat on the couch, his head in his hands. Almost everyone else had gone home, and he let his mind sink into the silence. Flashes came to him, taunting him, scolding him. Audrey, Marilyn, Teri – they all had something to blame him for. His head was filled with their voices, and they were soon joined by others – Heller, Kim, Tony, Cheng…the sounds grew louder, leaving his head and filling the room, echoing against the walls. He moved his hands to his ears, trying desperately to block them out.

A whisper of fingertips against his skin made everything stop. He lifted his eyes to see Chloe standing between his knees. With a soft look, she moved her fingers across his forehead and through his short hair. He closed his eyes at the feel of her, suddenly wishing that she would touch him forever.

And then she was sitting next to him, dragging him down until he rested his head in her lap. He took a deep breath as he let her lead him, wrapping an arm around her knees.

He slept then, breathing her in and reveling in her touch. 


	16. Weakness

Jack Bauer didn't like to admit that he had weaknesses, but he knew that it was the truth. He would do anything to protect his daughter. Teri was a soft spot, even after all these years. He still felt guilty about Audrey, and he knew that a lot of his actions towards her had been borne out of that guilt.

But as he watched Chloe from across the floor, he realized that she wasn't just another weakness to add to the list. She was his strength, the only thing that kept him going some days. And he hadn't known how much he depended on her until he had almost lost her. When he heard the gunshots coming through the radio, his vision narrowed and his knees turned to jelly; his chest constricted and he began to shake.

Even from a distance, he could see where she had been thrown to the ground and hit her head. But there she was, back at her station, doing her job. She didn't realize it, but he knew that she was stronger than him. And he knew that none of his weaknesses mattered as long as he had her.


	17. Tears

He had never seen her cry before. Even after everything they had been through, she was always the strong one, always the one to keep fighting no matter the cost. The sight of her tears now constricted his chest and made it difficult to breathe.

He had been staying with her for a little over a month now. After his release from China, he'd had nowhere else to go. She had simply taken his hand and taken him home with her.

Things hadn't been easy since that time. Most nights he couldn't sleep, and when he did he was plagued by terrible nightmares. She sat with him every time, despite his insistance that she needed to sleep. She would just shrug and say that she couldn't fall asleep if he was awake.

The nightmares were the worst. He would thrash in bed, usually knocking over anything that was on the nightstand. She was there in an instant, waking him up and holding him as he came back to the real world. Then she would gently rock him until he fell back asleep.

But it hadn't been nightmares that had awoken him tonight. He moved toward the couch, sitting down and dragging her into his lap. He ran his fingers through her hair as he held her tightly.

"Chloe, what's the matter?"

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

"For what?"

"I couldn't find you," she explained. "I looked and looked, but nothing worked."

He stared at her in shock. "And that's why you're crying?"

She nodded. "If I had found you sooner, they wouldn't have hurt you so badly. Maybe you'd be able to sleep."

Jack pulled her tighter against him, his own eyes stinging at her words. "Oh Chloe. This isn't your fault. Just the fact that you looked for me makes everything a little easier."

"It does?"

He nodded. "It reminds me that I have someone who cares. Someone who won't forget me."

She pushed back against the arm of the couch, settling against his chest and pulling a blanket over both of them. Then she turned to face him again, her gaze intense.

"I will always look for you," she promised. "I will always care."

Then she snuggled against him, her arms draped around his stomach. Jack held her closely as their breathing fell in sync and they both drifted off to sleep.


	18. Speed

He never would have pegged Chloe O'Brian for a speed freak. But there they were, flying along the back roads of northern Nevada, headed back for L.A. They had been sent east, trailing after a computer hacker who moonlighted as a technological terrorist. The mission hadn't ended well, the hacker shot in the head while he was talking to them.

Chloe hadn't spoken much since then. As soon as they got back to their hotel, she had disappeared into the bathroom, not emerging until almost an hour later. When Jack had gone in after her, steam was still thick in the air, and he knew that she had been trying to wash the blood off of her skin.

They drove into the night, the wind loud as it burst through the open windows. He shifted his gaze to check the speedometer, almost wincing when he saw it near 90. But the wind thwarted any attempts at speech, and he knew that she had done that on purpose.

Finally, they pulled into another hotel, both of them desperately needing some sleep. They walked into their room silently, Jack locking the doors and shutting the blinds. Chloe headed immediately to the bathroom and he followed her, knowing that she was going to take another shower. Gently, he took her hand and led her back out, moving towards the bed. He slipped off his shoes and laid down, gesturing for him to join her. She did, tensing slightly when he pulled her back against him and held her tightly.

"You already got all the blood off," he whispered.

"It doesn't feel like it."

"I know."

She paused uncomfortably. "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course." He hugged her a little tighter. "Sleep, Chloe. I won't leave you. You're safe now."

"I know," she mumbled. "I'm always safe with you."


	19. Wind

A gentle breeze rustled through the trees as autumn leaves fluttered to the ground. The sun shone down on the little clearing, where seven people stood close together, the last remnants of a band of fighters.

Jack and Chloe stood facing each other, their hands clasped together as they stood before the Justice of the Peace. Behind Jack stood Tony and Bill, while Kim and Karen stood by Chloe. The ceremony was brief and the dress casual, but everyone knew that that did not diminish the importance of what they were witnessing. They looked on with smiles as the two best friends exchanged rings and vows, their hands and voices shaking just a little. The kiss was deep and full, as they sealed their promise to love one another, come what may.

When it was over, the small group headed back down the trail toward their cars, their next destination a small Italian restaurant where they would celebrate their friends' happiness.

As they made their way through the forest, the newlyweds slowed until they were the last ones in the group. Jack brushed his fingers against hers before fully entwining them. Then he pulled on her arm a little to make her stop and face him. He caressed her cheek gently, staring into her eyes.

"I love you," he said quietly.

"I love you too, Jack"

Leaning in, Chloe brushed her lips against his, restraining herself from deepening the kiss. Their friends were waiting, and darkness was approaching. Hand-in-hand, they continued walking.


	20. Freedom

Chloe wasn't sure what she liked most about being retired. Sleeping in was a newfound joy, as was having time to read a book whenever she wanted. She loved that she was no longer expected to risk her life for others. Her new home in northern Vermont was beautiful, and Chloe had discovered that she loved snow.

Then her gaze swept over the man next to her, and she realized that she could pick a favorite thing – Jack. Everyday they woke up next to each other and just reveled in the fact that they were free. They were finally free.


	21. Life

It still amazed her that a new life was growing inside of her. Sometimes it grossed her out, sometimes it scared her, and other times she just sat and stared at her stomach, her breath catching in awe. What amazed her even more was how Jack had shown up on her doorstep the very day Morris left. He hugged her without a word and just entered her life, ingraining himself in every aspect of it. As Chloe found herself staring at her swollen belly again, she looked over at him, smiling. She knew now everything was going to be alright.


	22. Jealousy

As he watched Chloe walk out of the building with Morris, Jack felt a knot tightening in the pit of his stomach. He hated that they were together. He hated that they were happy. And he hated himself for thinking those things. But every day it grew inside of him as he saw them together. His heart soared when he saw them argue, but broke whenever he caught the hint of a tear behind her eyes. He was torn, and it was killing him.

"She'd leave him for you in a heartbeat," Tony finally told him.

And finally she did.


	23. Hands

He stared at their hands as his fingers entwined with hers. He couldn't remember ever touching her hand before, and that struck him as odd. They had been friends for years, but he had only hugged her once and never before held her hand. That bothered him. But as the monitors around them beeped and whirred, signaling that she was still breathing, still with him, he made her a promise. He wasn't going to let fear stop him anymore. He would touch her and hold her and kiss her, making sure she knew that she was everything to him. Everything.


	24. Taste

She tasted like strawberries, and for a moment, that was all he could think of. But then she moaned ever so slightly, and Jack remembered that he was kissing Chloe O'Brian.

She had caught him totally off-guard, cornering him when he returned from the Russian Consulate. He thought she was going to yell at him for making the same mistake that had sent him to China. He braced himself.

But Chloe didn't say a word. She just backed him up against the nearest wall and brought her lips to his in an earth-shattering kiss.

Jack decided he really liked strawberries.


	25. Devotion

"I love you," Jack blurted.

"Excuse me?"

He took a deep breath, realizing that it was too late to turn back.

"I love you," he repeated.

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

"No you don't."

"Chloe, I promise that I do."

"Then why didn't you tell me before?"

"I was afraid."

"Of what?"

"That I was reading you wrong. That we were just friends. That I was mistaking your loyalty and devotion for signs that you felt the same. That –"

She grabbed his face and pressed her lips against his, stopping his words and silencing his fears for good.


	26. Forever

Forever seemed like a silly word to her – overdramatic and insincere. Nobody could promise forever, no matter how much they wanted. Too many other things got in the way – death, for instance. And then there was illness and divorce and infidelity and natural disasters and terrorists and just plain old life. Forever was an impossibility made popular by Disney movies and chick flicks.

But as she looked at the man sleeping next to her and the diamond ring resting on her finger, it was the only word that she could think of. Forever. All she wanted was forever with him.


	27. Blood

The blood soaked through her shirt and onto his hands, staining them red.

"Don't leave me," he whispered.

"I'm not going anywhere," she gritted out irritably.

He gave her a small smile.

"Promise?"

She rolled her eyes and then winced from the pain.

"Yes, I promise. Who would keep you out of trouble if I wasn't around?"

"Good point," he whispered, brushing the hair from her eyes.

Sirens reached his ears and he looked up as the paramedics rushed over. The red lights were the same shade as the blood on his hands. But he knew she would be alright.


	28. Star

"You named a star after her?" Chloe asked incredulously.

Jack frowned. "I thought it was romantic. So did she."

"And that's how you told Teri you loved her?"

"It worked," he said defensively.

"Somehow."

"So I guess overtly romantic gestures don't work for you?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I think I'd just prefer the guy to be straightforward."

"What if he's afraid?"

"Then he needs to get over it. If he really wants to be with me –"

He silenced her with a kiss, his lips pressing against hers with an urgency and desperation that caught her off-guard.

"You're a complicated woman, Chloe O'Brian," he murmured before kissing her again.


	29. Fear

He had never been so afraid in his life. His stomach knotted painfully and his hands shook so badly that he was surprised he didn't crash the car. When he pulled into the lot, he was out instantly, running up the steps and crashing into the building.

"Jack?" Nadia asked, startled at his appearance.

"Where is she?"

She pointed wordlessly and he headed in that direction.

Chloe was standing alone in the room, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She took his breath away as he looked at her, the dress resting just above her knees and her hair pinned up. Her eyes lifted, and met his in the glass.

"Don't do this," he whispered.

She turned, frowning slightly.

"Give me one good reason."

He smiled slightly.

"I have three."

"Okay."

"One, he's not good enough for you."

"That's a matter of opinion."

"Two, you don't love him."

She had no response to that.

"And three?"

"And three," he said quietly, walking over to her. "And three, I love you."

"What if I don't love you back?"

He stopped at her words, his heart plummeting into his stomach. Tears sprang to his eyes, and Chloe was cut to the quick by the pain she saw on his face. Walking over to him, she took his face in her hands.

"Don't worry," she whispered. "I do."

He took a shuddering breath.

"Leave with me."

"I was afraid you wouldn't come."

"I was afraid I'd be too late."

"Almost, Jack. Almost."


	30. Smile

"Do you ever smile?" Kim asked in frustration.

"No," Chloe snapped.

"That's not true," Michelle said as she took a seat next to them. "I've seen you smile."

"When?" Kim asked.

"Yeah, when?" Chloe repeated, a deep scowl on her face.

Michelle looked across the room to where Tony and Jack were standing. She caught her husband's eye, giving him a small smile. He returned it, his eyes telling her that he'd rather be anywhere with her at that moment instead of stuck at work, where they had to pretend that everything was professional between them. Her eyes moved to Jack then, and her smile widened when she saw that he was once again stealing glances at Chloe. She gave the analyst a pointed look.

"Whenever you're with Jack."


	31. Moon

"I hate you," Chloe snapped as they walked to the car.

"Aw, don't hate me, Chloe," Mile slurred, his steps unsteady.

"Give me the keys."

"No."

"Now, Milo."

"No way. Not until you forgive me."

"Give me the damn keys, Milo!"

The keys were suddenly snatched from Milo's hand and he turned to see Jack Bauer standing behind him.

"Uh-oh."

"I called you a cab, Milo. You're not driving tonight."

"What about Chloe?"

"I'll take her home."

"Okay," he said, suddenly too tired to fight. "You know she loves you, right?"

Jack ignored the horrified gasp that came from Chloe.

"Yeah, I know."

"Are you going to tell her you love her back?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"As soon as you get in the cab."

"Okay, okay. I'm going."

Jack helped the younger man into the back of the taxi that had pulled up next to them. Milo collapsed onto the seat as he shut the door, and Jack handed the cabby some money and gave him the address. When they pulled away, he turned to Chloe.

"You ready to go?"

"Did you mean that?"

"What?"

"What you said to Milo – about…about loving me."

"Yes."

"Oh.  
"Are you okay with that?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah."

"Good." He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her over to his car. "So what did he do?"

"Huh?"

"Milo. What did he do to make you so mad?"

She frowned. "He mooned me."

Laughter exploded from Jack as he imagined Milo and Chloe in the dark club, Milo drunk enough to expose himself to everyone around him. Trying to get himself under control, Jack wiped at his eyes.

"Why?"

"He said I need to loosen up."

Grinning wolfishly, Jack placed a kiss on her cheek and then moved his lips to her ear.

"What do you say you let me try a different tactic?"

Her blush gave him all the answer he needed.


	32. Hair

After Doyle and his team saved him from the Russian Consulate, Jack knew that there was only one person that he wanted to see. Their reunion earlier had been far too much, and he hadn't said any of the things that he really wanted to say. Like how much he missed her. How much he had thought about her, dreamed about her while he was in China, his body and mind being tortured continuously. Or how angry Morris made him, because he wasn't anywhere near good enough for her. How he hadn't wanted to save him, but he did because he knew how much it meant for her. He didn't ask her to leave him, to run off with him when this was all over. He didn't even hold her close, even though every fiber of his being screamed at him to.

He found her in Tech 1, hunched over one of the computers. Without any hesitation, he strode over to her and spun her around, dragging her into his arms and clinging to her tightly.

"I like your hair," he finally whispered.


	33. Bonds

Her bonds wouldn't break. He pulled as hard as he could, tears streaming down his face as he strained. The water was up to their thighs now, but still he tried to free her.

"Go," she ordered, her own face soaked with tears.

He just shook his head and pulled harder.

"Jack, go!" she yelled.

He stopped then, looking at her. Wordlessly, he ducked his head under her bound arms, so that they were resting around his neck. He pulled her close against him and kissed her gently.

"Please, Jack," she begged. "Don't die for me."

Wiping the hair from her eyes, he just kissed her again and again, as the water continued to rise.


	34. Sky

_I was caught by your smile under a blushing moon,__  
You were the only one left there.  
Words poured like wine over an open wound,  
You were the only one left there.  
With sky-borne blue-grey eyes,  
Sky-borne blue-grey eyes._

Jack watched in amusement as Chloe went about making her lunch. The CTU break room was empty except for them, and she hadn't yet noticed him standing there. He could barely make out the words that she was singing, but he knew that he didn't recognize the song. As it built up towards what he assumed was the chorus, she spun around suddenly and saw him. Her eyes went wide as her hands flew to her mouth, her lunch all but forgotten.

"Hey," he said, his smile broadening.

"Hi," she breathed.

"You have a very nice voice."

"Thank you."

"What's the name of the song?"

She stared at him in shock, her brain racing for some way out of the situation. But Jack just moved closer, pushing her back into the counter.

"Chloe?" he asked, a predatory gleam in his eye.

"Shut up and kiss me," she said quietly.

Chuckling lightly, he obeyed, leaning in and molding his mouth to hers. Chloe moaned, her body arching against his as she pulled herself closer. His hands tangled in her hair as their tongues moved together, stealing each other's breath. Finally, they pulled back, the need for air becoming almost painful.

"Well?" he asked when they had caught their breath.

"Well what?"

"Are you going to tell me the name of the song?"

Chloe frowned at him.

"That _is_ the name of the song, Jack. It's called "Shut Up and Kiss Me."

"Oh."

He paused, suddenly wondering if he had just made a big mistake. Chloe could feel his body tense up as unease overcame him. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed his face and crashed her lips into his again.

"It works as a command, too," she murmured against his lips.

"A damn good one," he whispered, kissing her again.


	35. Confusion

"I don't get it," Chloe finally said.

"It's a ring," Jack explained.

"Yes."

"An engagement ring."

"Right."

"For you."

"That's where you lose me. We're not dating. So you can't propose."

"But we've been living together for two years now."

"As friends. Because you had nowhere else to go."

"Do you want me to go?"

"No. Do you want to leave?"

"No. I want to marry you."

"Oh."

"Do you want to marry me?"

"Yes."

He closed his eyes and smiled in relief.

"Thank God."

"I still don't get it though."

"Then let me show you," he murmured.

Pushing her back onto the couch, he slid the ring on her finger and covered her lips with his.


	36. Waves

She can't remember the last time she's waved to somebody, but as she saw him standing across the room, it was the only thing she could think to do. He looked good in his tux, talking to a bunch of high-ranking officials. Feeling tears begin to prick the back of her eyes, she looked away.

Hours later, she stood outside on the balcony, the music floating out to her from the ballroom. Hugging her arms tightly around her, she scolded herself for wearing a strapless dress when the weather was so cool.

She didn't hear him come up behind her, but she knew that he was there. He moved to stand next to her, his shoulder brushing against hers.

"I missed you," he said quietly.

"I haven't gone anywhere," she pointed out, a slight bitterness to her tone.

"I know. I'm probably too late, but I wanted you to know that I'm back now. For good."

Letting her arms drop to her sides, Chloe nervously slipped her hand into his, squeezing gently. Suddenly, he turned to face her, pulling her body against his as he buried his face in her neck.

"Don't leave me again, Jack," she whispered.

He kissed the spot between her neck and shoulder.

"Never again," he promised.


	37. Completion

"Done," Chloe announced.

Jack looked over at her and smiled.

"So you're all set? We can go?"

She nodded.

"I finished my last piece of paperwork for CTU. Ever."

"How does it feel?"

She frowned, thinking.

"Really good, actually."

"Good. Because now that that part of our lives is complete, I think we should start a new part."

"What do you mean?"

"How does a vacation sound?"

"I don't think I remember what the word means."

"It means sun, and sand, and lots and lots of sex."

Chloe smiled.

"I like the sound of that."

He pulled out two plane tickets from his back pocket.

"Then let's go."


	38. Hell

"Are you okay?" Jack asked as he pulled her tightly against him.

Chloe scowled.

"Have you ever heard of Sartre?"

Jack frowned. "No."

"Well, he once said that Hell is other people. And I think we just proved him right."

"Chloe…"

"Six hours, Jack. I was stuck in the same room as her for six hours, with no way out. It sucked. It beyond sucked."

"I never knew you and Audrey hated each other so much."

"Well, it was fine until she accused me of stealing her boyfriend. And then she called me a desperate whore."

"Oh Chloe –"

"So I called her Barbie's illegitimate cousin, Trollop Tracy."

Jack's eyes widened.

"Is that where your bruise came from?"

Chloe smirked and pointed at Audrey, who was receiving medical attention for her bleeding nose.

"I think I won."


	39. Technology

Chloe frowned as she heard a loud crash coming from the living room. Jack had been staying with her since his return from China, and he had finally begun acting like a normal human being again.

"Jack?"

Her frown deepened when she walked into the room and saw her friend sitting on the couch, his arms crossed and an angry scowl etched across his face.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Jack. I heard the crash. Did something break?"

"I threw the remote."

"What for?"

Red began to creep up his neck and cheeks.

"It pissed me off."

"How?"

"It doesn't work."

Chloe didn't mean to, but she burst out laughing. He glared at her, his nostrils flaring.

"What's so damn funny?"

"It's nothing," she gasped as she tried to catch her breath. "It's just that you're one of the best federal agents in the country, and you've been defeated by an inanimate object."

"I wasn't defeated. It doesn't work."

"It works fine, Jack."

He continued to scowl. Chloe walked over and found the remote lying next to the front door. Picking it up, she took a seat next to him.

"Would you like me to show you how it works?"

"Yes please," he muttered.


	40. Thunder & Lightning

He couldn't hear her, but Jack could _feel_ her pacing up and down the hallway outside of his room. Finally, he set down his book.

"Chloe?"

"What?" she snapped.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Is there a reason you're wearing a hole in the carpet?"

She opened his door and stood there, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed.

"I don't like storms," she said finally.

To punctuate her words, another flash of lightning streaked across the sky, soon followed by the loud boom of a thunderclap.

"Come here," he said gently.

As she walked over to him, Jack pulled the covers back. Taking her hand, he pulled her into the bed beside him and wrapped his arms around her.

"Better?" he murmured in her ear.

Chloe nodded and snuggled closer.


	41. Supernova

"Dance with me," he whispered.

"You're asking me to dance to an Oasis song?"

He laughed. "I don't care who it is, Chloe. I just want to dance with you."

She blushed and moved closer, letting him wrap his arms around her. Her head rested on his shoulder as the moon broke free of the clouds, and she let her eyes drift up to the bright stars. Moving her mouth closer to his ear, she began to sing softly, her voice blending with the lead singer's.

_Someday you will find me  
Caught beneath the landslide  
In a champagne supernova  
A champagne supernova in the sky_


	42. Clouds

"I think this might be the cheesiest thing I've ever done."

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Does that mean you want to stop?"

"No."

"Okay."

She sighed and nuzzled closer to him, her eyes trained on the sky as they watched the clouds.

"It's nice," she finally said.

"I'm glad."

"Maybe there are other cheesy things I like too."

"Like?"

"Like a nice dinner out. Or flowers. Or…a proposal."

"I thought you said you weren't going to get married again?"

Chloe shrugged.

"Maybe I was wrong."

Taking her hand in his, Jack kissed the top of her head.

"I've never been so happy to hear those words."


	43. Gift

Chloe eyed it warily, frowning as it shuffled a little bit to the right. As far as she knew, Christmas presents were not supposed to move on their own. She wondered if he had gotten her some kind of robot.

"Open it," he said quietly.

Slowly, she undid the ribbon and pulled the top off of the box, noticing that there were little holes poked into it. She wasn't prepared for what came leaping out.

Chloe stared in amazement at the little golden lap that was bouncing up and down in her lap, licking her face, her hands, anything it could reach. Whining, it nuzzled against her, begging to be petted.

"Do you like it?"

She looked over at Jack, seeing the nervousness and fear in his eyes. Smiling broadly at him, she picked the puppy up and held him close.

"I love him." She leaned in and kissed him softly. "And I love you too."


	44. Market

"Ms. Raines…"

"Audrey, please."

Tony sighed. "Audrey, maybe there's something you're not entirely understanding here."

"What are you talking about?"

"About Jack. He's not…on the market."

"You mean he's with someone?"

"Yes."

She frowned. "Who?"

"Chloe O'Brian."

She couldn't stifle the laugh that bubbled up inside of her. But it died on her lips when she saw that Tony wasn't laughing with her.

"My God, you're serious."

"Yes."

"But…they're so…different."

"They're really not. And Ms. Raines?"

"Yes?"

"I have a message from my wife for you." She looked at him inquiringly. "She says to tell you that if you try to come between Jack and Chloe, she'll kick your ass."


	45. Sickness

_It wasn't supposed to be like this_, Chloe thought as she stared down at him.

He looked pale and drawn, a thin sheen of sweat reflecting the light off of his forehead. His eyes were closed and his breathing shallow, but he clung to her hand with everything he had. As her gaze rested on their hands, she stared at the matching platinum bands. Tears sprung up in her eyes almost instantly.

"It's not fair," she whispered. "We didn't have enough time."

_And it shouldn't end like this_, she continued in her head. He was supposed to die in his own bed of old age. Or at the very least, be killed in the line of duty, saving the world and those he loved. But instead, his body had been invaded by something it couldn't fight – and that knowledge just broke them both down even more.

"It's not fair," she repeated.


	46. Innocence

"I'm sorry," he said for the hundredth time.

She ignored his apology.

"You know what amazes me the most about her?" He shook his head. "She doesn't know anything about the world. She doesn't know that there are bad guys. She knows nothing of loss. She has no idea that her father was killed today, that I'm the only thing she has left in the world. She's completely innocent."

"You're not the only thing she has left."

"No, Jack."

"No what?"

"I won't let you stay here to work off your guilt. She deserves better."

"You both do. But that's not why I want to stay."

"Why then?"

"Because you're my best friend. Because I've missed you. Because you have a beautiful daughter, and I want to get to know her. I want to get to know you."

"You already know me."

"The big stuff, maybe. That you're amazing, that I trust you with my life. But I want to know the rest."

"You might not like what you find."

"Impossible," he whispered, running a gentle finger along her baby's nose.


	47. Melody

Jack loved it best when she hummed. He wasn't even sure that she knew she was doing it, but it always made him smile. She would walk around the house, cleaning or rocking their son to sleep, and she would hum. Sometimes he would recognize the song, and other times he wouldn't – but it didn't really matter. He would just lean his head back against the couch and close his eyes, thanking God once again for the family he had been given.


	48. Home

She found him sitting in Medical, his ribs wrapped tightly and a defeated slump to his shoulders. Her heart broke at the sight, but she held back her tears and walked up to him.

"Come on," she said.

He frowned. "Where?"

"Home."

"Chloe, I can't…I can't just crash into your life again –"

"You already have, Jack. Let's go."

"Chloe –"

"Are you planning on leaving again?"

He sighed. "No. I'm tired of running."

"Then let's go home."

"I don't have a home anymore."

She reached out and took his hand, gently coaxing him off of the bed.

"You always have a home with me," she murmured.


	49. Heaven

_Almost hope you're in heaven so no one can hurt your soul..._

Chloe stared down at his grave, tears streaming down her face. She knew that her being there was stupid, since he wasn't really dead. At least, she didn't think he was dead – she just assumed that the Chinese would want to keep him alive for as long as possible, to inflict as much pain as they possibly could. But she needed to think, and she need to talk, and this was the only place where she could really do both.

"I'm trying to bring you home," she whispered. "I promise."


	50. Monkey

When her gaze settled on the stuffed monkey, tears overcame her. She remembered the day that Jack had bought it for her little girl. They had spent the entire day at the zoo, Anna giggling at all of the animals. While they were at lunch, Jack disappeared suddenly, only to return fifteen minutes later with a stuffed monkey under his arm. He presented it to Anna and she clutched it tightly, the smile on her face blinding.

But now they were both gone – cruelly stolen from her. She laid down and clutched the stuffed animal to her chest, and cried.


	51. Sun

She smiled as the sun warmed her skin. Waves lapped at the shore, and birds flew overhead, calling to each other. Chloe felt as though she had accidentally fallen into some cheesy chick flick. She half-expected a soft love ballad to start playing in the distance.

"You okay?"

She turned to face Jack, her smile broadening. Leaning in, she kissed him, softly at first and then deepening it and drawing him closer to her.

"I'll take that as a yes," he murmured.

"It's nice," she said

"What is?"

She leaned in to kiss him again.

"Finally being free."


End file.
